Doorcatch



April 10, 1934. G. M. SPARKS 1,954,500

DOORCATCH Original Filed Feb. 20, 1931 INVEN TOR 2% GEORGE M. SPARKs ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFECE Application February 20, 1931, Serial No. 517,141 Renewed November 13, 1933 2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to closure fasteners, and the improvements are directed to a novel form of door catch for retaining the doors of closets, buffets, cupboards, or the like inclosed position.

Primarily, the object of the present inven tion resides in the provision of a device of the above-mentioned character wherein the catch mechanism is disposed within the confines of a 0 door.

Another object is to provide an association of parts whereby the necessary adjustment for different door thicknesses is provided for.

Still another object of the invention resides in the production of a door catch which may be readily associated with a door and disassembled therefrom without the exercise of more than ordinary skill.

A further object is to provide a device of the above-mentioned character which is simple in construction, positive in operation and designed to give long and satisfactory service.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in the following description of a typical embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure l is a sectional view of a door showing the application of a device embodying my invention, the device being partially shown in central vertical section to illustrate the assemblage of its parts.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken through a door and showing a portion of a structure carrying the keeper member, said door being shown in partial open position.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective View of a push rod and catch element assembly of the device.

Referring in detail to the accompanying drawing, wherein like characters of reference denote similar parts throughout the several views, 5 indi- ';cates a hingedly mounted door and 6 a shelf of a cupboard, closet, or the like, said door being provided adjacent its free edge with a transverse opening 7 which is countersunk, as indicated at 8 in Figure 1, for the reception of the flange 9 of a tubular member 10, said member engaged in and projecting from said opening '7 and having its protruding end provided with threads 11 for engagement with the threaded bore 12 of a knob 13. In view of this arrange- 55 ment the device accommodates itself to doors of various thicknesses, and may be fixedly mounted in place without requiring the use of accessory elements.

Upon inspection of Figure 1 it will be observed that a sleeve 14. is remcvably fixed within the bore of said tubular member 10 by means of a set screw 15, said sleeve presenting a diametric slot 16 at its inner end for the reception of the catch member 1'7, the latter being pivotally disposed within said slot by means of a pin 18 engaged therethrough and in the sleeve i l whereby to provide for the movement of said catch member in the plane of said slot. A push-rod i9 is reciprocatorily mounted within the bore of said sleeve 1 1, one end thereof being forked, as indicated at 20, to span one leg of said catch member 1'7, the latter being slotted at 21 to receive a pin 22 extending transversely through the forked end of said rod 19. From the foregoing it will be understood that the threaded engagement of the knob 13 with the threaded portion of the tubular member 10 positions latter in the opening '7 and that the set screw 15 affixes said sleeve 14 within the bore of said tubular member 10, and that said parts are arranged to be stationary during a pivotal rocking of the latch member by means of the rod 19.

The other end of the push-rod 19 is provided with threads 23 for the longitudinal adjusted engagement therewith of a thumb-piece 24 mounted in the bore 12a of said knob 13. An expansive spring 25 embraces that portion of the rod 19 between the opposed ends of said sleeve 14 and said thumb-piece 2% whereby said rod may be normally disposed in a slightly protruding relation to the knob 13 as is shown in Figure 1. It will further be observed that said tubular member 10 and its flange 9 are provided with a radial slot 26 to permit free movement of said catch member 17 into and out of the member 19, and that the opening 7 in said door 5 is provided with a recess 27 for permitting a swinging movement of the catch member.

It will now be noted that when, in the assembly shown in Figure 1, the thumb-piece 24 is pressed inwardly against the resistance of the spring 25 and to slide the rod 19 inwardly, the pin 22 of said rod rides in the slot 21 of the member 1'7 to rock the latter from its operative engagement with the head 28 of a keeper 29 fixed in the element to which the door is to be held, said element in this particular instance being the shelf 6. In the present embodiment of the invention, the keeper 29 is shown as an ordinary round-headed screw which is disposed to project into the bore of 1 said tubular member 10 in generally coaxial alignment with said rod 19; as shown in Figure 1, the beak 17a of said catch member 17 operatively engages the base of the keeper head 28. When said beak 17a has been disengaged from said head 28, as aforesaid, the door may be moved to an open position as is shown in Figure 2, the pressure on the thumb-piece being released when the keeper is clear of the catch member.

When the door is to be moved to closed position, it is not necessary to actuate the thumb-piece 24, since the beveled inner end 171) of the beak 17a engages the rounded portion of said head 28 and rocks said catch member 17 to an elevated position for passage over the head to engage the flat under surface thereof. In Figure 1 the door is shown as slightly ajar whereby the catch member is not fully engaged with the keeper 29, and it will, of course, be understood that the threaded engagement of the thumb-piece with the threaded end of said push-rod 19 permits of adjustment whereby the eifective length of said rod may be adjusted.

In the present catch assembly, the arrangement of parts is such that the pin 22 is held in place by the sleeve 14, and the pin 18 is held in proper position by the tubular member 10. A forward stop extension 30 on the lower edge of the catch member 17 engages the bore of the tubular member 10 to prevent undue rocking cf the catch member when the keeper is not engaged.

It is obvious that in view of the interfitting tubular member and sleeve arrangement, the assembly shown in Figure 4 may be inserted as a unit in its operative position where it is releasably held by means of the set screw 15.

It will be further noted that the present device is exceedingly simple in construction and provides for the disposal of the essential working parts of the device entirely within the confines of the door, whereby no elements protrude from the inner door face for catching in the clothing of a person having access to the space for which the door is a closure.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and method of operation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation, together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States the following:

1. A door catch comprising a tubular member adapted to be fixed in an opening through a door, a sleeve fixedly engaged within the bore of said tubular member and presenting a diametric slot in a portion thereof within said bore, a slotted catch member borne by said sleeve and pivotally mounted in said slot, a spring-pressed push-rod slidably mounted in said sleeve and having a forked end receiving said catch member, and a pin passing through the forked end of said rod and the slot in said catch member whereby said member is rocked upon operation of said rod.

2. A door catch compr sing a tubular member adapted to be inserted in a formed opening through a door, means to fix said member in its nounted position in the door, a keeper member normally projecting into the bore of said member, a sleeve aiiixed within the bore of said tubular member, a slotted catch member pivotally borne by said sleeve for movement about an axis transverse to that of the sleeve, a spring-pressed pushrod slidably mounted in said sleeve and longitudinally forked to axially receive said catch member, and a pin passing through the forked end of said rod and the slot in said catch member whereby said member is rocked out of engagement with said keeper member upon a displacement of said rod from its normal position.

GEORGE M. SPARKS. 

